Richard Cochrane’s Legacy
Professor Richard Cochrane, who sadly passed away in 2023, was co-founder and Chair of REACT, a renewable energy pioneer, and a passionate advocate for community climate action.
Through his financial legacy, and as one of the key objectives of our charitable status, REACT is now expanding its work with young people on the Roseland — helping the next generation to understand climate change and take practical action.
Scroll to read more about Richard
Coming soon...
The Richard Cochrane Award
As part of Richard’s legacy, REACT has established the Richard Cochrane Award to recognise and encourage young people who demonstrate initiative, leadership and commitment to climate action within our community.
New for Summer 2026, children aged 4 to 11 who live on the Roseland are invited to take part.
Find out more about the Award here
Click here to enter!
The Legacy in Action
Autumn 2025
Autumn 2025
At the start of the autumn term 2025, members of REACT met with Mr Harris of the Geography Department at The Roseland Academy to discuss further initiatives between REACT and the school. We look forward to working with the school on future workshops and practical activities with students such as tree planting, thermal imaging and river monitoring. REACT are also hosting students wishing to complete the service element of their Duke of Edinburg award with a local charity.
Summer 2025
Roseland Academy Workshop with Amy Bray of “Another Way”
With the support of the Roseland Academy, we were very fortunate to be able to invite Amy Bray to run an Awareness Day with year 9 on all aspects of the climate crisis. Amy is the founder of the charity 'Another way' and is a fantastic ambassador for promoting a greater understanding of the issues surrounding climate change.
As well as an introductory assembly Amy ran several sessions throughout the day. She delivered an engaging range of activities that included exploring myths around climate change, studying major factors that continue to have a huge impact on our environment, as well as considering the little changes we could all do to make a difference.
The workshops extended the students' knowledge of climate change generating thought provoking discussion, and culminating in a personal action plan.
After such a brilliant day it is hoped that the enthusiasm generated will lead to ideas and projects that can be developed in the future.
Many thanks to the REACT volunteers, and the Roseland Academy, for organising and hosting the day.
About Professor Richard Cochrane
A passionate advocate for renewable energy production, designing the Quiet Revolution vertical axis wind turbine (https://www.quietrevolution.com/), Richard went on to become Professor of Renewable Energy at Exeter University, keen to educate young people about climate change and environmental issues.
As a parish councillor on Gerrans' Parish Council, Richard founded REACT with other Roseland councillors to bring issues of climate change to the attention of those in the community – seeking practical solutions to support and educate our community on issues such as extreme heat, flooding, biodiversity loss and reliance on fossil fuels
At REACT, Richard’s calm and positive attitude was always to the fore and he chaired our meetings in a friendly and welcoming manner. Richard’s knowledge, and willingness to share it, will be greatly missed.
Richard brought community groups and individuals together – leading a team of volunteers to plant 800 trees on his land, creating wildlife and nature corridors. He had contacts across Cornwall in the wider climate action network and was a key speaker on climate issues.
He fully supported work on insulation/heat loss surveys that REACT undertake and encouraged the group to work with schools and community groups.
Richard's work on renewables underpinned the feasibility study which REACT launched to investigate the possibility of a solar scheme on agricultural buildings, and he also worked on the feasibility study for hydroelectricity in Tregony.
He was writing part of our Climate Action Plan on renewable energy when he passed away aged just 49, of Motor Neurone Disease.
You can read his obituary in the Guardian here